1985–86 NCAA football bowl games


The 1985–86 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in December 1985 and January 1986 to end the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. A total of 18 team-competitive games, and two all-star games, were played. The post-season began with the California Bowl on December 14, 1985, and concluded on January 18, 1986, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.

Schedule

DateGameSiteTime
TVMatchup
AP
pre-game
rank
UPI
pre-game
rank
12/14California BowlBulldog Stadium
Fresno, California
Fresno State 51 ,
Bowling Green 7
NR
  1. 20
#18NR
12/21Cherry BowlPontiac Silverdome
Pontiac, Michigan
USA NetworkMaryland 35 ,
Syracuse 18
#20
NR
NR
NR
12/21Independence BowlIndependence Stadium
Shreveport, Louisiana
MizlouMinnesota 20 ,
Clemson 13
NR
NR
NR
NR
12/22Holiday BowlJack Murphy Stadium
San Diego, California
USA NetworkArkansas 18 ,
Arizona State 17
#14
NR
#12
NR
12/27Liberty BowlLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Memphis, Tennessee
RaycomBaylor 21 ,
LSU 7
NR
  1. 12
NR
  • 10
  • 12/28Sun BowlSun Bowl Stadium
    El Paso, Texas
    CBSArizona 13 ,
    Georgia 13
    NRNR#20
    NR
    12/28Aloha BowlAloha Stadium
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    Alabama 24 ,
    USC 3
    #15
    NR
    #14
    NR
    12/28Florida Citrus BowlFlorida Citrus Bowl
    Orlando, Florida
    NBCOhio State 10 ,
    BYU 7
    #17
    1. 9
    #17
  • 9
  • 12/30Freedom BowlAnaheim Stadium
    Anaheim, California
    LorimarWashington 20 ,
    Colorado 17
    NRNRNR
    NR
    12/30Gator BowlGator Bowl Stadium
    Jacksonville, Florida
    ABCFlorida State 34 ,
    Oklahoma State 23
    #18
    1. 19
    #16
  • 19
  • 12/31Bluebonnet BowlRice Stadium
    Houston, Texas
    LorimarAir Force 24 ,
    Texas 16
    #10NR#7
    NR
    12/31Peach BowlFulton County Stadium
    Atlanta
    CBSArmy 31 ,
    Illinois 29
    NR
    NR
    NR
    NR
    12/31Hall of Fame ClassicLegion Field
    Birmingham, Alabama
    WTBSGeorgia Tech 17 ,
    Michigan State 14
    NR
    NR
    NR
    NR
    1/1Cotton Bowl ClassicCotton Bowl
    Dallas, Texas
    1:30 PMCBSTexas A&M 36 ,
    Auburn 16
    #11
    1. 16
    #11
  • 15
  • 1/1Fiesta BowlSun Devil Stadium
    Tempe, Arizona
    1:30 PMNBCMichigan 27 ,
    Nebraska 23
    #5
  • 7
  • #5
  • 6
  • 1/1Rose BowlRose Bowl
    Pasadena, California
    4:30 PMNBCUCLA 45 ,
    Iowa 28
    #13
  • 4
  • #13
  • 3
  • 1/1Sugar BowlLouisiana Superdome
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    8:00 PMABCTennessee 35 ,
    Miami 7
    #8
  • 2
  • #8
  • 4
  • 1/1Orange BowlOrange Bowl
    Miami, Florida
    8:00 PMNBCOklahoma 25 ,
    Penn State 10
    #3
  • 1
  • #2
  • 1